Hi Tweeters,

I refound the Ross's Goose today in the fields just north of Para Ponds which can be viewed from the Para Ponds area--if you can find a place to park. It was with about 2-300 Cackling Geese. Better view desired but it fit in sizewise and proportionately with the Cackling Goose flock it was feeding with. A mini-snow goose... Nice day to finally venture east this year. Many first of the year birds for me. Weird to see a Golden-crowned Kinglet in sage off of Lower Crab Creek road near a goat farm. Also Dark-eyed Junco seemed a bit out of place at Ryegrass summit and at Ginko Overlook Park. Otherwise it seemed to be usual suspects, many first of the year birds for me. Many good posts lately about what is around on the eastside and it was great to read the other eastside posts from today. I hope the goose shows for others.

I ran into a birder who had never been to Para Ponds. They are mentioned in A Birder's Guide to Washington by Hal Opperman on P367-8.

Oh yeah, the Ross's was a lifer, woohoo!

Kathy
Roosting in Kent, near Lake Meridian
(chukarbird at yahoo dot com)
Any driving directions contained within this message are given as a courtesy, beware, author is directionally challenged and will not vouch for them.